Mangalore, December 3: Former MLA Vijaykumar Shetty alleged that revised zonal regulations of Master Plan II for Mangalore Local Planning Area will benefit the development of integrated township in Mangalore city and not the small builders and those middle class people who wish to build houses in three to five cents land.
Addressing a press meet here on Friday, he said there is 'Tuglaq Darbar' in Mangalore City Corporation.
“The private builders who are going to benefit from the revised Master Plan II have invited the coprorators for a meeting. However, the Congress Corporators will not attend any meeting convened by the private builders. As per Karnataka State Town and Country Planning Act, the comprehensive development plan for a city should be prepared once in 10 years. But, without discussing with the public and the councillors, the Master Plan II has been revised three times in the last two-and-half years. As per the Act, the master plan can be changed and not the zonal regulations,” he said.
The Mangalore City Corporation opposition leader Lancelot Pinto said that as per the government notification, all the multi-storied buildings which are taller than 15 metre should avail NOC for fire and safety from the fire and emergency service department.
However, as per the new zonal regulations of the Master Plan II, the builders have to avail NOC from the fire and emergency service department even for a 10 metre high building. The rule will affect the small builders who do not go for high rise buildings, he claimed.
Pinto said that the revised zonal regulation is unscientific and will not help the poor to construct a house. A prominent addition in the revised regulations was that it had banned construction of apartments on plots abutting roads which were less than six metres wide.
He said that earlier, house owners or builders could make changes in their building plan by writing to the Mangalore Urban Development Authority. However, as per the new plan, one need to get approval from the State government. “Any changes to the Master Plan should be made after holding discussion with the MCC councillors, MUDA members and the general public,” he said and added that there is lot of changes in the draft of changes made by the MUDA and the revised Master Plan II approved by the department of Urban Development.
Pinto said that the Congress Corporators will attend the meeting to be convened by the Mayor on December 8 or 9 and will take a decision on future course of action depending on Mayor's decision on revised zonal regulation of Master Plan II.
“If the Mayor's decision is against the interest of the public, then we will approach the Governor and urge him to initiate action,” he said.
“As per the government rules, no one can bring in changes to the green belt area. If there was a need to bring in changes, then the government will have to take a decision. However, in the revised zonal regulations of Master Plan II, the green belt area can be changed and the authority may acquire any land required for development as part of integrated township upto 15 per cent of the total extent proposed by the developer. If the authority is convinced that the acquisition of such land is necessary for the proper development of the township, then the authority may provide such land for the development of the township. Such a clause is an attempt to acquire the land belonging to the poor,” said Corporator Naveen D'Souza and added that the clause on integrated township should be removed from the revised Master plan II.
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